aetiology of sciatica
Last edited 10/2020 and last reviewed 10/2020
The causes of sciatica include:
- disc herniation:
- this is the most common cause (1)
- common sites of herniation are L4-L5 and L5-S1 (2)
- malignancy:
- metastatic carcinoma:
- breast
- prostate
- lung
- bone or soft tissue sarcoma
- metastatic carcinoma:
- infection:
- abscess
- TB
- discitis
- vascular compression:
- abnormal pelvic venous plexi
- gluteal artery pseudoaneurysm
- bony compression:
- spondylolisthesis
- spinal stenosis
- muscular compression - the piriformis syndrome
- glynaecological causes:
- uterine fibroid
- uterine tumour
- endometriosis
References:
1. Stafford MA et al. Sciatica: a review of history, epidemiology, pathogenesis and the role of epidural steroid injection in the management. British Journal of Anaesthesia 2007 99(4):461-473
2. Al-Khodairy AW, Bovay P, Gobelet C. Sciatica in the female patient: anatomical considerations, aetiology and review of the literature. Eur Spine J. 2007;16(6):721–731